[{"_1":2,"_123":-5,"_124":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,76,88,100,112],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},"mediaId",6610723,"mediaKeyId","2901822-ed40693f489ef4ce1c418942ee581564","parentId",2901822,"title","Committee advances bill to ban sale of counterfeit or unsafe lighters that fail ASTM safety standards","audioSeconds",706,"startMs",3906000,"endMs",4612000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=2901822-ed40693f489ef4ce1c418942ee581564&start=3906&end=4612","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2901822-ed40693f489ef4ce1c418942ee581564/thumbnail_3906000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6610723/California/Committee-advances-bill-to-ban-sale-of-counterfeit-or-unsafe-lighters-that-fail-ASTM-safety-standards","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6610723-3cdd96efa458057b2a5e4c806e2f1590/orig.mp4?Expires=1771153442&Signature=lnIU2Rnyuwv4icT1E856BvUkR00OxlTxWBylLrrhn6VFXKNLUyiEoYhXR-QgyiHFM8tXOTUUjQtxjyT8PY1WH3M4wsifetbcUPadus-vDalHf729PBkRPZfUHTsaeMUau4l1c8W04z3~8hPkrqTwg7GfN-oa8bcHUZ9qxLefAm8MsX0AybwypXjxjemaizHRUE6f8-eXDrVoyt03Xe97~aj7Lfvh5A882DOS3yB8qXXgod-9x7DorPl3MW465tthSG5CDfF1q5M15zqINXOJXFM7KruXRLg1Xv~P3GtNIFmQ9E~kMWY~aqR9Y-~GxvaH0J9mqo1i2Ymz2fWdiWt94A__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","California State Senate","date","2025-04-08T00:00:00Z","article","A Senate committee voted unanimously to advance SB 793, which would prohibit the sale, offer for sale or distribution of unsafe or counterfeit pocket and utility lighters that do not comply with specified ASTM International safety standards.

Senator Pete Archuleta, the bill's author, said the measure is intended to reduce burn injuries and property damage caused by counterfeit or substandard lighters imported into the U.S. \"By requiring lighters to meet the ASTM international standards, California will improve safety for the public, especially our children,\" Archuleta said.

Nicole Quineas, a representative of BIC Inc., testified in support and described the bill as protecting manufacturers and retailers from the flood of counterfeit imports that sometimes fail safety tests. Quineas said a 2017 test found 70% of imported lighters failed ASTM standards and cited a 2011 U.S. Customs seizure of noncompliant lighters. Supporters included the United Steelworkers and the California State Firefighters Association.

No organized opposition appeared. Committee members asked procedural questions and moved the bill. The committee recorded the motion as passed to the Judiciary Committee; the committee vote count was recorded as 15-0 in favor.

If enacted, SB 793 would make it unlawful to sell or distribute lighters that do not meet the specified ASTM safety standards and would align California with several other states that have enacted similar restrictions.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Senate Governmental Organization Committee","oneSentenceSummary","SB 793 would prohibit selling or distributing pocket and utility lighters that do not meet ASTM international safety standards; the committee unanimously approved the bill and sent it to the Judiciary Committee after testimony from manufacturers and firefighters supporting the measure.","taxTitle","California State Senate, Senate, Legislative, California","taxId",77650,"location","California","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":77,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":78,"_41":79,"_43":80,"_45":81,"_47":82,"_49":83,"_51":84,"_53":85,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":86,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":87,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6610728,"Senate committee advances bill directing UCLA Labor Center to study AI's effects on California jobs and revenues",493,3369000,3862000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2901822-ed40693f489ef4ce1c418942ee581564&start=3369&end=3862","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2901822-ed40693f489ef4ce1c418942ee581564/thumbnail_3369000.jpg","/articles/6610728/California/Senate-committee-advances-bill-directing-UCLA-Labor-Center-to-study-AIs-effects-on-California-jobs-and-revenues","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6610728-7e9387e4cb793c6c844562153f1d8b72/orig.mp4?Expires=1771153442&Signature=SLF1m7CU3z3ByLxj1kZE1Lhx8B09Kli6J-45EPjFbFAwihSNqnk-SPR2FOlQjRJovex1xoQeUoPXqG16S-mVU0TAd6BjQ0XbFDTbYpDKWL4iA-2b4Lu~dQvn8jtbjPKd8XndeIYaNHiNldYtAJQpb4JDkV0~0atH8X03m-7QtbU~D2Jc2o0tmH6u0ZjGE48iA1K7pZuMw7Mcx4lpj9jyqQCYIfyRRmYSEKCliVQFP5~BAoiiyi0FZZBjtbTzkKcJtsxi8GDopzjLqwWh0l5QdPCGoesDbNAY-tmX2xogZ1I27pt3zMgVqTAxGtYym7nev8HDB6lDtCMky3R9BxN54w__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","A Senate committee voted to advance SB 366, which would direct the UCLA Labor Center to conduct a comprehensive study of the economic and workforce impacts of artificial intelligence (AI) on California's economy, including potential effects on state and local revenues.

Senator María Smallwood Cuevas, the author, said the bill is intended to produce primary data on which sectors are most vulnerable to AI disruption and to quantify potential fiscal effects such as reduced income-tax revenue if labor demand declines. \"SB 366 helps California get ahead of this disruption,\" she said, arguing that policymakers need data to understand the fiscal implications of rapid technological change.

Brian Justy, a senior research analyst at the UCLA Labor Center, testified in support and said the bill would produce novel, California-specific research linking workplace AI adoption to revenue impacts and workforce outcomes. Justy said many public discussions about AI rely on speculation and that a focused, state-level study would yield actionable findings for policy makers.

The committee accepted amendments and recorded a motion to pass the bill as amended to the Senate Labor Committee. Committee members who spoke praised the effort to gather data and to frame AI impacts in fiscal terms. No organized opposition appeared at the hearing. The committee recorded the motion as passed and the tally was 15-0 in favor.

If enacted, SB 366 would create a mandated research project with delivery requirements to inform future legislative and budget decisions about AI-related workforce transitions.","SB 366 instructs the UCLA Labor Center to analyze how artificial intelligence may reshape California's labor market and state and local revenues; the committee passed the bill as amended and sent it to the Labor Committee unanimously.",{"_33":89,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":90,"_41":91,"_43":92,"_45":93,"_47":94,"_49":95,"_51":96,"_53":97,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":98,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":99,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6610733,"Senate committee approves bill naming the giant garter snake California's state snake",652,2682000,3334000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2901822-ed40693f489ef4ce1c418942ee581564&start=2682&end=3334","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2901822-ed40693f489ef4ce1c418942ee581564/thumbnail_2682000.jpg","/articles/6610733/California/Senate-committee-approves-bill-naming-the-giant-garter-snake-Californias-state-snake","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6610733-d50f39f0b8e764e2be9131fbf7c2e17a/orig.mp4?Expires=1771153442&Signature=Yb5NzR3Tf--dvjB-JTwKqwpWe79RxyHrYLHGoGzcnPsktg~zSPTWINHYDpY-dSzykqiF0PSLqbEdXO~HbIDxaxwVy34w2MvmQYcnCV9ryA8lh8yVlpHTNR7CyQVY8TKmW48Oz4MjL-ANSTYPdWfPNgwnCxPpA4dyEmmIq1G151d06eF8grrPWfrMDBoNb49atI0Ke~I2MP5kpZlVDRNjxNR6pFzfjdxzl1vHBjn3mVtaquhAn~BkxbyL0Ed9d~PGk8MXTV4tw7yc1Bl5X0SPQFoqeCYwapTTr7AqNB89YXtOQGXHYo9PcY67GkRgrdz-4GNVyJd0fZlODmz6Mja2yg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","A Senate committee voted to advance SB 765, a measure that would designate the giant garter snake as California's official state snake to spotlight wetland conservation and the role of working lands, such as rice fields, in providing habitat.

Senator Bill Niles (presented as \"Nilo\" in the hearing) introduced the bill as a recognition of the species' ecological value and its status as an endemic, threatened species. \"The giant garter snake is a representation of California's diverse ecosystem that communicates an important message of conservation,\" the author told the committee.

Supporters included Michael Sarkey (testifying for Save the Snakes) and Paul Butner of the California Rice Commission. Sarkey described the snake as endemic to California and important for wetland food webs; Butner said California rice lands and their network of irrigation ditches supply critical surrogate wetland habitat for hundreds of species and contend that designating the garter snake would help raise public awareness of that \"rice footprint.\"

Committee members asked about other candidate species; the author said the giant garter snake was chosen because other snakes considered were either not endemic or had more limited ranges. No opposition spoke at the hearing, and the committee moved the bill to the Senate Floor with a recorded vote; the committee vote was recorded as 15-0 in favor.

SB 765 now proceeds to the Senate Floor for consideration by the full chamber.","The committee voted unanimously to send SB 765 to the floor to designate the giant garter snake as the California state snake; supporters said the designation would raise awareness of wetlands conservation and the role of rice fields as surrogate habitat.",{"_33":101,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":102,"_41":103,"_43":104,"_45":105,"_47":106,"_49":107,"_51":108,"_53":109,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":110,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":111,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6610738,"Committee backs bill letting San Francisco create hospitality zone with 20 low-cost liquor licenses",427,2204000,2631000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2901822-ed40693f489ef4ce1c418942ee581564&start=2204&end=2631","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2901822-ed40693f489ef4ce1c418942ee581564/thumbnail_2204000.jpg","/articles/6610738/California/Committee-backs-bill-letting-San-Francisco-create-hospitality-zone-with-20-low-cost-liquor-licenses","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6610738-63b7398d760b7c2f74c5c3e6a759a88f/orig.mp4?Expires=1771153442&Signature=KiDP1SAB92JMa5KSf4sxUxB6kZFM4H2XAEWkJbtplvrftNUcs08KSs24ZOWCT-o~lY0qMSljymLXCHQa3D0Jr0oWEY-k3CfuWuhx4grnUY~NdhfIwOK2Dz1vTVnPa9sGH2b3OkjFA6YZay8mdwloB1aYJSeMSwWl1nTw7Ldb8S~bZz9nUW~6a4G7~SwcwvDS9g1T-1wjFfgxkyJH9e4OZ7ECS1i89Qbc8pYLMHaAirBLlBmc1VfBudXBeoxiOfsXt060muXo8RZqAq9vOtZrRpns~0AvIcFJGTqQplUMSY3jCKxjCy1qsXqq~RfSNP1edYVEj0J-lM1-2Bj7AYzqQQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","A Senate committee advanced SB 395, a bill that would allow the City and County of San Francisco to designate a downtown \"hospitality zone\" and request up to 20 new, nontransferable restaurant liquor licenses from the state Alcoholic Beverage Control (ABC) to encourage small restaurant openings in a specified downtown area.

Senator Scott Wiener, the bill's author, said the licenses would be available only in a local-designated hospitality zone such as Union Square and Yerba Buena to help vacant storefronts attract nightlife operators and support downtown economic recovery. \"SB 395 will authorize 20 low cost, nontransferable liquor licenses for restaurants in this new hospitality zone,\" Wiener said.

City officials supporting the measure told the committee the licenses would be priced far below secondary-market purchases, which can exceed six figures, and would be nontransferable so they would not inflate the broader market for liquor licenses. Eileen Mariano, who manages state and federal affairs for San Francisco Mayor Daniel Lurie, said the provision would help downtown recovery by lowering a major barrier for entrepreneurs and directing investment into tenant improvements.

Ben Van Houten, San Francisco's director of Nightlife Initiatives, described how the licenses would operate: ABC would issue the licenses only after the city adopts an ordinance establishing the hospitality zone; the licenses would be nontransferable and would be cancelled if an operator closed, enabling future applicants in the zone to seek the license. He said local policymakers would retain control over implementation and the program could be adjusted based on conditions in real time.

The California Restaurant Association registered support at the hearing; no organized opposition appeared. Committee members raised no significant objections, and Senator Richardson moved the bill. The committee recorded the motion as passed to the Appropriations Committee; the committee tally was recorded as 15-0 in favor.

If enacted, the bill would give San Francisco a tool to reduce start-up costs for restaurants in the targeted hospitality zone and intentionally avoid enlarging the statewide liquor license cap by limiting licenses to the zone and making them nontransferable.","SB 395 would allow the City and County of San Francisco to designate a downtown hospitality zone and authorize up to 20 nontransferable, low-cost restaurant liquor licenses to spur restaurant openings; the Senate committee passed the measure to Appropriations unanimously.",{"_33":113,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":114,"_41":115,"_43":116,"_45":104,"_47":117,"_49":118,"_51":119,"_53":120,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":121,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":122,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6610744,"Senate committee advances bill to train local police on transnational repression amid heated testimony",2180,24000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2901822-ed40693f489ef4ce1c418942ee581564&start=24&end=2204","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2901822-ed40693f489ef4ce1c418942ee581564/thumbnail_24000.jpg","/articles/6610744/California/Senate-committee-advances-bill-to-train-local-police-on-transnational-repression-amid-heated-testimony","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6610744-91fc32372140ae0e94fba87a6c7668cb/orig.mp4?Expires=1771153442&Signature=Nz1rE6O7GvQYF224k2BX-elGu~otN9Ef3azURCkH6KpsXI4CwT~6ooapJZRG8Ha2uHOx5~Ez1bltMPWIb~0d6IA-98qwwzQexJUfy7z2oeF6Aon3WLK9i~EXsgPN9AE01bSAaXuP3666~4e~zGhHDdwAcMHP3B4ClHTKs14JpAjrV2LQfs3xE89mSNFEpbKCK6ImJwp5jiCBILprtYKTEHXCaL3DDM4fFUvZRv1j8SfyES0MMmL7rCAjpkuST66vA7C9oczih6ILspwT7UV41wqqOpbCGpcQVgQt8AYVQDVvclE3ZIaNh6Wx5oki3UT8ovk~FBGiHWa5XtMRIpws0w__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","A California Senate committee voted to pass SB 509 out of committee to the Appropriations Committee after a public hearing that included both supporters urging better protection for diaspora communities and opponents warning the law could be used to stigmatize minority groups.

Senator Anna Caballero, the bill's author, said SB 509 would authorize the California Commission on Peace Officer Standards and Training (POST) to develop specialized training so local law enforcement could recognize and document transnational repression'the intimidation, threats and violence that some foreign governments direct at dissidents and asylum seekers living in the United States. \"This bill ensures that law enforcement officers receive the specialized training needed to recognize and respond to unique threats posed by foreign governments targeting individuals on U.S. soil,\" Caballero said.

Supporters told the committee they have seen threats follow immigrants to the United States and that local police often lack the training to identify or document those threats. Hamid Yazdan Pana, executive director of Immigrant Defense Advocates and a refugee from Iran, said victims often do not report threats because they fear immigration consequences or do not trust authorities; he urged support so local agencies can properly document incidents and pass them to federal partners such as the FBI.

Opponents, led by Sameer Kalra of the Hindu American Foundation and speakers from Coalition of Hindus of North America (KONA) and other Indian American groups, said the bill's definitions are vague and risk politicizing training content. \"SB 509 lacks the adequate guardrails and safeguards necessary to prevent POST trainings on transnational repression from being politicized or from institutionalizing biases against diaspora communities,\" Kalra said, arguing the measure could be used to label ordinary speech or community advocacy as state-sponsored or \"soft\" repression.

Senators pressed the author on implementation details during committee questioning. Caballero and other supporters repeatedly said the bill does not create new crimes, will not authorize local prosecution, and contains no list of named countries; rather, they said, POST would develop neutral training focused on patterns of behavior and consistent reporting practices so local law enforcement can forward credible reports to federal agencies. \"No countries are mentioned in the bill,\" Caballero told the committee, and she said the bill was intentionally neutral on national origin.

The committee produced no statutory changes to federal jurisdiction; the author and several senators emphasized that federal investigators would still handle criminal prosecutions. Senator Archuleta, who moved the bill, said the training would help build trust between immigrant communities and local law enforcement so residents will report threats.

Action: Senator Archuleta moved SB 509 out of committee to the Appropriations Committee; the motion carried by recorded voice roll call and the committee list of ayes, with a final committee tally recorded as 15-0 in favor.

The bill drew sustained public comment spanning nearly an hour and a half. Supporters emphasized victims' safety and the need for documentation; opponents emphasized vagueness, possible political bias in training sources, and potential chilling effects on free speech and community advocacy. Committee members said POST has an existing public process for developing and vetting training content and that local reporting could aid federal analysis of transnational threats.

SB 509 now goes to the Senate Appropriations Committee, where fiscal and implementation questions could be addressed.","A California Senate committee voted unanimously to send SB 509 to the Appropriations Committee after testimony from the bill's author and advocates for immigrant victims, and opposition from several Indian American groups who said the measure could be politicized or weaponized against diaspora communities.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Committee advances bill to ban sale of counterfeit or unsafe lighters that fail ASTM safety standards

Senate committee advances bill directing UCLA Labor Center to study AI's effects on California jobs and revenues

Senate committee approves bill naming the giant garter snake California's state snake

Committee backs bill letting San Francisco create hospitality zone with 20 low-cost liquor licenses

Senate committee advances bill to train local police on transnational repression amid heated testimony